Tracing Your Family Tree – Getting Started in Genealogy
Discovering your family history is not only a fun activity, but can help bring your family closer together
I was thinking of great family projects for 2010 and I thought about how great it would be to research ones own family history. For many reasons, it is important to know about your family background. It can give you and your family a sense of who you are and where you've come from. It can also be important because knowing how your ancestors died could have an effect on your own medical history. If you're not sure what you need to get started in genealogy, here are some tips to get started.
First off, you will need to have some basic office supplies available when you get started. File folders can be used to keep any blank charts you'll need; they can also be used to keep your ancestors organized. Start a file folder for each surname you find during your search. When it is too full, you can always separate the information further.
If you'd rather not keep everything you gather in paper form, you can invest in good genealogy software such as Roots Magic 3, Family Tree Maker or Legacy Family Tree 7.0 Deluxe. These will range in price between $30 and $100. You can also find free software, such as Personal Ancestral File 5.2 or Family Tree Builder 4.0.
The important thing to remember is to keep things organized, no matter which method you choose to keep notes on your family members. Be prepared, however, as you may find delving into your family background so interesting that it takes over a good amount of space in your home.READ More on Genealogy – Making Geneology a Family Affair
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Young Teen Girl Counting Her Money
Recently, More4kids did an interview with an author who writes books on teaching children, particularly teenagers about money. You can read the interview here the interview on teaching kids about money with Randy Loren. I have to say that I learned a lot, I also learned a few things that I was doing wrong and a few things that I was doing correctly. While I don't want to take away from the interview I do want to offer you a few tips on how to make sure that your child understands the value of money.
Tip One: Pay Them an Allowance
I know that there are a number of parents out there that give their children an allowance. Note that my tip is to pay them an allowance. I say pay because they need to understand that money has to be earned, it isn't just given to you because you are cute. You can start paying an allowance when kids are 3 and 4. Trust me when I tell you they understand that money is a good thing. So pick one thing that they can do each day to get paid for. It can be making sure all of their crayons are put away neatly in the box. Just make sure the money is tied to a task.
Tip Two: Teach them Savings
You would be surprised at the number of kids these days that do not know what a piggy bank is. It can be an empty coffee container with a slit cut into the top. Teach your kids that saving is important. Start when they are young. In our house, our children are made to split their money into three equal parts. A third they are to save, a third they can spend on whatever they want and the final third is to be donated to a charity or organization that they feel needs the money. Our son donates to the Nets for Africa because it is important to him that kids don't die, and our oldest daughter donates money to different animal shelters because that is where her passion is.
Tip Three: Talk to Them about Money
My husband and I made the mistake of not telling our kids when money was tight. Kids don't understand the cost of living. That electricity costs money, that food costs money and that the roof over their head costs money. No you don't have to tell them how much each bill is and let them know whether or not you are able to pay your bills on time, but they need to understand that there is a price associated to everything that they have in their life.READ More on Parenting Tips: Making Sure Your Children are Financially Literate
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Summer is here already and before we know it, it will be gone. The kids will be back to school and life will go back to "normal." Why not take the time to make the most of the summer months with your kids. As parents, we have so much to do, and while yes quality time is more important then quantity, summer offers us the chance to give our kids both of those things.
I am not saying that you have to plan an elaborate get away. You don't even have to spend thousands of dollars. This week's tips are all about planning the perfect family vacation, the perfect vacation for your family that is.
Tip One: Pick a Destination Together
This is a great idea no matter how old your kids are. I think that part of the reason that so many families are holding back from going on vacation is because we as parents think that we have to make the trip to Cancun or to Disney or some other big name place. Talk to your kids, and your spouse. You may be surprised to find out that really all they want is a few days at the log cabin at their favorite beach.READ More on Creating the Perfect Family Vacation
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Lets make sure we tell our moms and the mothers of our children how special they are to us. If you are a dad, it is our job to lead by example and show them how important Mother's Day is. Start from the very moment she wakes up to the the good night kiss. This year for example, I had my 6 year old help make breakfest and serve my wife in bed. The look on her face was amazing! And I have more surprises to come as the day goes on.Filed under Holidays, Mothers Day by
People may wonder if kids have gotten off track these days. You hear it all the time from the older generations. They think that kids these days simply aren’t as disciplined and respectful like kids used to be. You may have even noticed a change in your own child’s behavior and have wondered what the problem is.
Before we get too analytical about your child’s behavior—whether bad or indifferent—we have to take a quick peek at our own lifestyle. Lets ask a few questions. Do we work a lot? Do we work too much? How often are we home? How many times have we engaged our child this week?
Everyone's circumstances are different. One thing I am not trying to do is point the finger at anyone by saying its all parents fault that we don't spend more time with out kids. In some cases it may be, but we have to be realistic too. In this economy our bosses are placing more of a demand on us and many parents have to work two or more jobs just to make ends meet. One thing to remember, in times of stress, our kids need us more than ever and we should try everything possible to help keep the connection.
So, do we spend enough time with your kids?
Well, of course there are plenty of great kids in this world, but the world has become a busier place. Everyone works so much that it is hard to just let go, clock out, and get your butt home so that you can spend some quality time with the kids. Sometimes our busy, hectic world reflects in our children. Kids who are listless, have no interests, or who do poorly in school likely have parents who don’t spend much time with them.
It is important to understand that half the battle of winning our kids over and helping them progress through life is just being there for them. They need to see our strengths, see our weaknesses and how we handle different situations. Our kids’ eyes are always on us, and it is up to us as parents, to lead them until they are able to do so themselves.
Here are some great habits to get into when trying in order to help spend more time with our children. READ More on Weekly Parenting Tips: How to Spend More Time with Our Kids
Hey Dads, this article is for us. I have been brainstorming fun ideas we can do for the women in our lives, and the mothers of our kids. Mother's Day is coming soon, next Sunday in fact, and it's time to start thinking of great ways that we can surprise mom this year. Sure, we could buy her a gift and she'd love it, but why not go the extra mile to make her day extra special. Dad and kids can get together and work to make Mother's Day exciting and relaxing for mom. If you are stumped for some good ideas, here are some great ideas to use. Pick one or combine a couple to show mom your love and appreciation on Mother's Day. Give Mom a Spa Day
Plan a Picnic for the Whole Family
Another great way to surprise mom for Mother's Day is to plan out a picnic for the whole family. Just make sure that dad and the kids do the planning. You don't want mom to have to lift a finger to make this happen. Decide on a nice place you can go on a picnic and then get everything together – the food, drinks, blankets, and anything else you'll need. If you can, hide everything in the car and then get mom in the vehicle and keep her guessing as to where you're going. When you stop at the park and pull out everything for a picnic, she'll be surprised and excited. Serve up mom some great picnic food and she'll be sure to have a blast. READ More on Mother's Day Surprise – Ideas for an Extra Special Mom's Day
by Stacey Schifferdecker
My mother-in-law has been talking about for years – taking my family and my sister-in-law’s family for a cruise. But the timing never worked out until now. This year, for the first time ever, my children’s schools and my nephews’ schools have spring break the same week. So hi-ho, hi-ho, it’s off to Mexico we go. I am a vacation planner junky, so naturally I am hip-deep in research about the best way to enjoy our cruise and keep six kids ranging in age from 7 (the only girl) to 14 happy and healthy for a week. So here is what I have learned – check back with me in March to see how the reality lives up to the research.
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Solving the Great Teen Mystery
by Stephanie Partridge
To many parents (and people – teachers, doctors, etc) teenagers are creatures to be regarded with some degree of caution. The horror stories of teens who dress all in black, paint their fingernails black and walk around with a sullen look on their faces is enough to send even the toughest parent scrambling for cover. We hear stories of teenagers who come home from school or work, head straight to their room where they turn up some awful racket that they call music and disconnect from the rest of the family. This does not have to happen; you can have a good relationship with your teen, even a fun one. If you have not done things to cultivate that relationship when they were younger, don't worry. It is never too late to develop a relationship with you child. READ More on Improving parent/teen relationship
Wow, 2007 is almost over and 2008 is upon us. Now is the time for New Years resolutions. Now is the time to make resolutions that will help build a stronger, happier, and healthier family. For me there was so much I wanted to do with my family that I did not. However, it is not important to dwell about the past but look to 2008 with optimism and excitement. If you failed on resolutions in the past, make smaller ones that can be easily accomplished and build on those successes. Keep a list of your resolutions and small steps you will take to make them happen. Talk about your resolutions with your family, and have your spouse or kids help hold you accountable to those resolutions! In fact, everyone in the family should participate and hold each other accountable. For me there is nothing more powerful then my five year old looking at me in the eyes and reminding me what I had promised to do! Here are some resolutions for mom and dad to think about, and if your kids are old enough have them join in and come up with some New Years resolutions on their own. READ More on New Years Resolutions for Dads and Moms
"Are we there YET?" You've heard this for the thirteenth time in three minutes and you're nerves are about to shatter. "No, honey – we're a lot closer now than we were." Then you get the whines and the moans from the back seat. This is something that a lot of people have had to deal with during a vacation or other family trip. Long hours in cars and on airplanes do not mix with small children! They have short attention spans and their little brains are programmed to run, jump and climb like monkeys. They have no desire to sit for several more hours until you reach your destination. READ More on Keeping Kids Amused While Traveling
